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Resolvin’ in the South Loop

January 10, 2012 By

Happy 2012 from Astoria Tower!  A new year always brings new resolutions.  Are you looking for a new hobby, a new goal or a new interest for 2012?  Well the South Loop has plenty of options for you, right outside your door!

Vowing to get in shape (or stay in shape)?  Join the South Loop running club.  There are groups that meet on Tuesday nights at 6:20 PM right on the corner of Michigan and Roosevelt.  If Saturday mornings work better, meet them at 8:20 AM at Over Flow coffee located at 1550 S State.  Visit their website for more information on getting healthy in 2012!

Resolving to experience more of Chicago’s culture and learn something new?  Head to the Shedd Aquarium on Illinois Resident Discount Days and your general admission is free.  There are a total of 52 discount days in 2012 – take advantage of them and become an expert on all things under the sea!

Interested in expanding your skills in the kitchen (or just learning how to use that fancy knife you’ve had for years)?  Visit Whole Foods at 1101 S. Canal St for hands-on experiences with cooking and tastings.  They offer a variety of free and affordable classes covering all sorts of topics.  Sign up in advance to make sure you have a spot reserved for the new year!

Whatever your resolution is this year, good luck!

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100+ Pounds of Food!

December 20, 2011 By

Over the past month, Astoria Tower teamed up with The Greater Chicago Food Depository in an effort to do our part to supply food to over 800,000 food-insecure people in Cook County.  This non-profit organization distributes donated food through a network of 650 pantries, soup kitchens and shelters every year.  Last year alone they were able to supply 140,000 meals per day due to the efforts and donations made by people throughout the city.

For the past month, donations were accepted in our lobby and the response was overwhelming.  Thanks to all the support from residents and guests of Astoria Tower, our food drive was able to collect over 100 pounds of food that will be provided to local families this holiday season!   We are greatly humbled by the response from everyone that donated to this cause.

Happy Holidays!

100+ pounds of food

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O Tannenbaum

December 9, 2011 By

Planning on a real, fresh cut Christmas tree this year?  Well, you won’t have to travel far.  The South Loop has three lots, all within a few blocks of each other. 

Polk between Dearborn & Federal
Wabash and 9th 
150 W. Roosevelt

Want to score the freshest tree in the lot?  Use our simple fresh-test.  Try bouncing the tree on the ground or running your hand over a few of the branches – only a few needles should fall off.  You should also try bending  the tips of the branches to make sure they do not break off.  Once you’ve selected the perfect pine and fancied it up, it is important that you water it every day to avoiding drying out.  A dry tree trunk seals up and can’t absorb enough water and a dry tree is a huge fire hazard.

Following these steps with keep your home filled with the fresh scent of pine through the end of the year.  And when you’re ready to part ways with your tree, Astoria Tower’s maintenance team will remove it at no charge!  Just call the Management Office to schedule your removal.

We want to see “how lovely are thy branches!”  Post a picture of your trimmed tree on our Facebook page before December 25th and we’ll vote on a winner who will receive a special post-holiday stocking stuffer!

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Thanks Chicago!

November 23, 2011 By

To wrap up our Giving Thanks series, we thought, what better to be thankful for than the great city we call home – Chicago!  And with the holidays just around the corner, Chicago offers some of the greatest traditions out there!

To get you in the mood and kick off the season, check out the annual Tree Lighting ceremony tonight at 5pm in Daley Plaza.  Even though budget battles have once again slashed the size of the tree (it’s still a whopping 55 feet!), this fun-filled tradition remains one of our favorites.  Get there early to enjoy musical performances before they officially flip the switch!

Can’t make it tonight?  Not a problem.  Celebrate tomorrow with The Thanksgiving Day Parade.  The parade takes over State Street from Congress to Randolph at 8am Thanksgiving morning.  The festivities this year include Emmy award winning Grand Marshal Holland Taylor (you may know her as the Mom from Two and a Half Men), marching bands from the Chicagoland area and all your favorite balloons and floats!

Looking for a more cultural holiday experience this year?  Make your way to Chicago’s Christkindlmarket!  This traditional German American holiday market brings food, drink, entertainment and seasonal cheer to Daley Plaza.  Stop by one of the many booths and pick up handmade ornaments, decorations and much more. 

It wouldn’t be a blog post about holiday traditions in Chicago (well, any city for that matter) if we didn’t mention shopping.  A long-time staple of the holidays in Chicago is walking down Michigan Avenue, enjoying the sights and searching for that perfect gift.  It just doesn’t get more Chicago than that.  And if all that ooohing and aaahhhing sets your appetite in motion, stop by Macy’s for a bite to eat at the infamous Walnut Room.  Don’t know what to order?  Go with the Chicken Pot Pie.  You won’t be disappointed.

So happy sightseeing/parade watching/market shopping/chicken pot pie eating to you!  And most of all, Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Astoria Tower!

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Food for Thought

November 15, 2011 By

All the talk about brunch got us thinking about how lucky we are to be able to enjoy a great meal with friends and family, especially when so many others in our community don’t have the same luxury.  So we decided to give thanks and give back!  We teamed up with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to organize a food drive and have invited our residents, guests, vendors and visitors alike to embrace the giving spirit and join us.Food Drive Details

The Greater Chicago Food Depository was founded in 1978 and according to their website, they distribute 69 million pounds of food, including more than 18 million pounds of produce, to 650 pantries, soup kitchens and shelters in Cook County. Nearly 142,000 men, women and children turn to the Food Depository’s network each week, and nearly 678,000 people turn to the network annually.  Their stated mission is “To provide food to hungry people while striving to end hunger in the community.”  We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. 

So whether you’re a resident of Astoria Tower, a vendor, one of our trusted brokers, or just someone who happened to stumble across this blog, we invite you to join us in the fight against hunger.  Bring your canned goods or other non-perishable food items to the donation bin located in our lobby now through December 14th.  And not that you need extra motivation, but we’re sweetening the pot (or the bin, in this case).  For every five items you donate, you’ll receive an entry to win a $100 Target® gift card. 

So here’s to giving thanks and giving back and watching the donations pile up!  And be sure to stay tuned for updates on our progress…

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Giving Thanks

November 9, 2011 By

Thanksgiving (which is only two weeks away – what?!) has us feeling grateful and we thought it would be fun to devote our November blogs to all the things we’re thankful for.  We’re calling it our Giving Thanks series. 

First up?  Well….thinking about Thanksgiving also has us feeling hungry and brunch is our favorite meal, so giving thanks for all the amazing brunch spots just outside our door in the South Loop seemed like a natural starting place. 

Newly-opened Waffles, located at 1400 S. Michigan, is top on our list.  Try a delicious red velvet waffle topped with cream cheese, a meaty chicken and bacon waffle or our favorite, waffles benedict.  Either way, be prepared for a big decision to start off your meal - fresh cucumbers or fresh lemons in your water?  You can’t go wrong.

In the mood for something a little more traditional?  Visit Bongo Room at 1152 S. Wabash.  They serve fluffy omelets with over 25 ingredients to choose from.  Compliment your one of a kind omelet with their house potatoes for a combo that’s guaranteed not to disappoint. 

Looking for an award-winning brunch entree?  Swing by Yolk at 1120 S. Michigan and order the eggs benedict, voted the best in town.  This month they have a great seasonal menu loaded with fall flavors like taffy apple crepes and pumpkin lattes.  Yum.  Need we say more? 

What’s your favorite South Loop brunch spot?

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Our First Halloween

November 1, 2011 By

With our first Halloween fast approaching, we knew we wanted to celebrate in a fun way. And at Astoria Tower, we believe Halloween should be full of treats, not tricks.  So we stewed and brewed and crafted a tasty breakfast for our residents, complete with candy, coffee and everything in between. Residents munched on bagels, pastries, fruit and muffins or grabbed a cup of joe to go, while several of the pint-sized residents donned their best Halloween costumes (think tiny pumpkins, pretty princesses and dashing Draculas) and reached directly for the candy bowl. Some of our furry residents even joined in the fun. Now, how to top it next year? Suggestions welcome!

Pumpkin

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Hello Chicago!

September 14, 2011 By

Welcome to the Astoria Tower blog. Stay tuned here for more information about life at Astoria Tower, life in the South Loop, life in Chicago, apartment life….you know, life in general!

 

 

Filed Under: Dining, Life at Astoria Tower Apartments, Lifestyle, Things to Do, Uncategorized